


The World Is On Fire (Since You've Come Near)

by flash0flight



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU: No Powers, College AU, M/M, Trope Bingo Round 2, Uncontrollable fluff, au: college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-26 23:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/971374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flash0flight/pseuds/flash0flight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve feels a chuckle reverberating through Bucky’s chest, deep and warm and safe, and it’s so familiar to him that it pulls Steve’s smile wider, makes him shift and shuffle a little to settle a little closer to Bucky, tilting his head up and leaning just a little, and Bucky takes the hint with ease, tilting his head down for his lips to meet Steve’s in a soft, gentle kiss that sends sparks to the very tips of Steve’s fingers and toes, that makes him a little light-headed, fills his heart with a warmth that stays for hours.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The World Is On Fire (Since You've Come Near)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [girl0nfire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/girl0nfire/gifts).



All Steve can hear is the leaves rustling in the trees above them, the distant yells of people playing in the park, and Bucky’s steady heartbeat, close and steady, reminding Steve that all of this is real, that it’s not a dream. And that’s something Steve has to remind himself of less and less now; the more time they spend together, the more Bucky tries to convince him that this is all real, that this is what Bucky wants just as much as Steve does, the more Steve believes it. Bit by bit, Bucky’s been chipping away at the doubt that’s built up in Steve’s mind over the years, and he truly believes one day it’ll be gone entirely.

And it’s nice, to be able to admit that. That it’s not a matter of _if_ Bucky sticks around long enough to change things, but _when_ he will be able to change things.

Taking a deep breath, Steve continues to sketch leisurely, pencil moving in steady strokes across the page as he tries to recreate the nearby arch in Washington Square Park and it’s not-- rushed, it’s not frantic, it’s not like much of Steve’s practice sketches lately. Steve’s not worrying about how he’s going to use this for a class, or if this is enough practice for whatever they’re on at the moment. All he has to worry about is whether or not he’s happy with it, whether or not it’s turning out the way he wants.

Which it certainly seems to be.

A small smile curls the corners of his lips as Steve shifts a little, leaning up against Bucky to stretch out before an ache can set into his back, and Bucky doesn’t protest in the slightest, merely moving his arm to curl more comfortably around Steve’s waist. and this is-- this is nice, sitting with Bucky like this, settled against a tree in the park, not worrying about classes or Bucky’s baseball practice, not worrying about their papers or Steve’s projects, not having to think about the art history paper he has to write next week. It’s nice not to have to worry about Bucky coming back from practice with his shoulder shot again, not to have to rub the knots and the tension out from under his skin until he can move without wincing again.

It’s-- nice. To just _be_ together.

“ You alright? Still comfortable? “

The tone of concern in Bucky’s voice is so familiar that Steve can’t help but chuckle softly, tilting his head back to look up at Bucky and-- just like every other time that Steve meets Bucky’s eyes, the sight of him takes Steve’s breath away, makes him wonder how the hell he got so lucky.

“ M’fine, promise. Relax, today’s-- good. “

Steve knows how important the good days are, especially with winter slowly approaching. Summer is good for Steve, strengthens his system a little bit, helps him get by, but by the time winter hits he’s a coughing, spluttering, shivering mess, curled up in bed and trying desperately to will himself to his feet so he can go to class. Disadvantages of being so small, so frail, it would seem.

Bucky doesn’t seem to mind, though. He’s never really minded, even when Steve used to worry that it would.

“ Better be. Didn’t drag you out here just for you to get an asthma attack. “

The words might seem joking, but Steve can hear the underlying worry, and it’s always there in one way or another. And Steve shouldn’t want people to worry about him, shouldn’t want Bucky to feel as though he needs to worry, but it’s-- nice, in a way, to feel as though someone cares enough to worry about him so much.

More so that it’s _Bucky_ who worries about him so much, who cares so dearly for him, considering Steve’s been hopeless about the guy ever since they met.

“ How’s the book going? “

Bucky shrugs a little, careful not to disrupt Steve at all, and sets the book down on the grass beside him, reaching out to clasp his hands together, arm still wrapped around Steve’s waist, and he can’t help but smile when he feels Bucky’s fingers brush along his side, feeling all the care and sweetness in the world in just those few, careful touches.

“ Read it before, in high school. Ran out of recommended reads for English, and I picked this up at some point. “

“ Yeah? Well, at least you’ve got one up on that class. “

“ Like I don’t anyway. “

Steve feels a chuckle reverberating through Bucky’s chest, deep and warm and _safe_ , and it’s so familiar to him that it pulls Steve’s smile wider, makes him shift and shuffle a little to settle a little closer to Bucky, tilting his head up and leaning just a little, and Bucky takes the hint with ease, tilting his head down for his lips to meet Steve’s in a soft, gentle kiss that sends sparks to the very tips of Steve’s fingers and toes, that makes him a little light-headed, fills his heart with a warmth that stays for hours.

“ You should have ideas like this more often. “ Steve mumbles softly, still leaning up close to Bucky’s lips, close enough for them to be breathing the same air and it’s _wonderful_ , being this close to him, feeling Bucky’s breath on his skin.

“ I have ideas like this _all_ the time, just. Never seem to get the chance to play them out. “ Bucky smiles and leans down for another brief kiss, brushing their noses together for a moment before tilting his head back against the tree trunk and closing his eyes, and Steve can’t help but get lost in watching him, in his steady breathing, in the slight smile curling the corners of his lips, in how he looks so peaceful-- so _happy_. All thanks to Steve.

And that’s all Steve wants, all he needs to get through a day of people ignoring him, laughing behind his back, calling him names, treating him like he takes up too much space. All he needs to get through his classes where hardly anyone even realises he’s there. Just knowing he can make someone like Bucky happy, knowing he means the world to someone so _amazing_ , that’s more than enough. It’s always going to be more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a college AU with Jackie. Written for her because I needed to counter the angst somehow.
> 
> Title from Anberlin's Take Me (As You Found Me)


End file.
